36th United States Congress

Major events

• June 8, 1859: Comstock Lode discovered in the western Utah Territory
• August 27, 1859: First oil well was drilled in the United States, near Titusville, Pennsylvania
• October 16–18, 1859: John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry began
• December 2, 1859 John Brown executed.
• April 3, 1860: Pony Express began its first run
• April 23 – May 3, 1860: Democratic National Convention held in Charleston, South Carolina. Unable to agree on a nominee, the delegates voted to reconvene in June.
• May 9, 1860: Constitutional Union Party National Convention held in Baltimore, Maryland, nominating John Bell for President.
• May 18, 1860: Republican National Convention held in Chicago, Illinois, nominating Abraham Lincoln for President.
• June 18–23, 1860: Democratic Party reconvened in Baltimore, Maryland, nominating Stephen A. Douglas for President.
• June 26–28, 1860: Southern Democrats held a convention in Richmond, Virginia, nominating John C. Breckinridge for President.
• November 6, 1860: U.S. presidential election: Abraham Lincoln beat John C. Breckinridge, Stephen A. Douglas, and John Bell.
• December 20, 1860: South Carolina Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession
• January 3, 1861: Delaware Secession Convention voted not to secede from the Union
• January 9, 1861: Mississippi Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession
• January 10, 1861: Florida Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession
• January 11, 1861: Alabama Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession
• January 18, 1861: Georgia Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession
• January 26, 1861: Louisiana Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession
• January 29, 1861. Kansas admitted to the Union as a free state.
• February 1, 1861: Texas Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession
• February 23, 1861: The people of Texas ratified its Ordinance of Secession President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrived secretly in Washington, D.C. after an assassination attempt in Baltimore, Maryland.

  Major legislation

• June 16, 1860: Pacific Telegraph Act of 1860, ch. 147,
• March 2, 1861: Morrill Tariff, ch. 68,
• December 18, 1860 : Crittenden Compromise, rejected by the House of Representatives and the Senate

  Constitutional amendments

• March 2, 1861: Approved an amendment to the United States Constitution that would shield "domestic institutions" of the states from the constitutional amendment process and from abolition or interference by Congress, and submitted it to the state legislatures for ratification
• * This amendment, commonly known as the Corwin Amendment, has not been ratified and is still pending before the states.

  Treaties

• March 8, 1859: Quinault Treaty ratified,
• March 8, 1859: Point No Point Treaty ratified,

  States admitted and territories organized

• January 29, 1861: Kansas admitted as a state, ch. 20,
• February 28, 1861: Colorado Territory organized, ch. 59,
• March 2, 1861: Nevada Territory organized, ch. 83,
• March 2, 1861: Dakota Territory organized, ch. 86,

  Party summary

Senate

House of Representatives

Leadership

Senate

• President: John C. Breckinridge
• President pro tempore: Benjamin Fitzpatrick, until February 26, 1860
• * Jesse D. Bright, June 12–13, 1860
• * Benjamin Fitzpatrick, June 26, 1860 – December 2, 1860
• * Solomon Foot, elected February 16, 1861

  House of Representatives

• Speaker: William Pennington, elected February 1, 1860
• Democratic Caucus Chairman: George S. Houston

  Members

Senate

[List of [United States Senators from Alabama|Alabama]]

• 2. Clement C. Clay, Jr., until January 21, 1861
• 3. Benjamin Fitzpatrick, until January 21, 1861

  Arkansas">List of United States Senators from Arkansas">Arkansas

• 2. William K. Sebastian
• 3. Robert W. Johnson

  California">List of United States Senators from California">California

• 1. David C. Broderick, until September 16, 1859
• * Henry P. Haun, November 3, 1859 – March 4, 1860
• * Milton Latham, from March 5, 1860
• 3. William M. Gwin

  Connecticut">List of United States Senators from Connecticut">Connecticut

• 1. James Dixon
• 3. Lafayette S. Foster

  Delaware">List of United States Senators from Delaware">Delaware

• 1. James A. Bayard, Jr.
• 2. Willard Saulsbury, Sr.

  Florida">List of United States Senators from Florida">Florida

• 1. Stephen Mallory, until January 21, 1861
• 3. David Levy Yulee, until January 21, 1861

  Georgia">List of United States Senators from Georgia">Georgia

• 2. Robert Toombs, until February 4, 1861
• 3. Alfred Iverson, Sr., until January 28, 1861

  Illinois">List of United States Senators from Illinois">Illinois

• 2. Stephen A. Douglas
• 3. Lyman Trumbull

  Indiana">List of United States Senators from Indiana">Indiana

• 1. Jesse D. Bright
• 3. Graham N. Fitch

  Iowa">List of United States Senators from Iowa">Iowa

• 2. James W. Grimes
• 3. James Harlan

  Kansas">List of United States Senators from Kansas">Kansas

• 2. Vacant from January 29, 1861
• 3. Vacant from January 29, 1861

  Kentucky">List of United States Senators from Kentucky">Kentucky

• 2. Lazarus W. Powell
• 3. John J. Crittenden

  Louisiana">List of United States Senators from Louisiana">Louisiana

• 2. Judah P. Benjamin, until February 4, 1861
• 3. John Slidell, until February 4, 1861

  Maine">List of United States Senators from Maine">Maine

• 1. Hannibal Hamlin, until January 17, 1861
• * Lot M. Morrill, from January 17, 1861
• 2. William Pitt Fessenden

  Maryland">List of United States Senators from Maryland">Maryland

• 1. Anthony Kennedy
• 3. James Pearce

  Massachusetts">List of United States Senators from Massachusetts">Massachusetts

• 1. Charles Sumner
• 2. Henry Wilson

  Michigan">List of United States Senators from Michigan">Michigan

• 1. Zachariah Chandler
• 2. Kinsley S. Bingham

  Minnesota">List of United States Senators from Minnesota">Minnesota

• 1. Henry M. Rice
• 2. Morton S. Wilkinson

  Mississippi">List of United States Senators from Mississippi">Mississippi

• 1. Jefferson Davis, until January 21, 1861
• 2. Albert G. Brown, until January 12, 1861

  Missouri">List of United States Senators from Missouri">Missouri

• 1. Trusten Polk
• 3. James S. Green

  New Hampshire">List of United States Senators from New Hampshire">New Hampshire

• 2. John P. Hale
• 3. Daniel Clark

  New Jersey">List of United States Senators from New Jersey">New Jersey

• 1. John R. Thomson
• 2. John C. Ten Eyck

  New York">List of United States Senators from New York">New York

• 1. Preston King
• 3. William H. Seward

  North Carolina">List of United States Senators from North Carolina">North Carolina

• 2. Thomas Bragg
• 3. Thomas L. Clingman

  Ohio">List of United States Senators from Ohio">Ohio

• 1. Benjamin Wade
• 3. George E. Pugh

  Oregon">List of United States Senators from Oregon">Oregon

• 2. Edward D. Baker, from October 2, 1860
• 3. Joseph Lane

  Pennsylvania">List of United States Senators from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania

• 1. Simon Cameron
• 3. William Bigler

  Rhode Island">List of United States Senators from Rhode Island">Rhode Island

• 1. James F. Simmons
• 2. Henry B. Anthony

  South Carolina">List of United States Senators from South Carolina">South Carolina

• 2. James Chesnut, Jr., until November 10, 1860
• 3. James H. Hammond, until November 11, 1860

  Tennessee">List of United States Senators from Tennessee">Tennessee

• 1. Andrew Johnson
• 2. Alfred O. P. Nicholson, until March 3, 1861

  Texas">List of United States Senators from Texas">Texas

• 1. Matthias Ward, until December 5, 1859
• * Louis Wigfall, from December 5, 1859
• 2. John Hemphill

  Vermont">List of United States Senators from Vermont">Vermont

• 1. Solomon Foot
• 3. Jacob Collamer

  Virginia">List of United States Senators from Virginia">Virginia

• 1. James M. Mason
• 2. Robert M. T. Hunter

  Wisconsin">List of United States Senators from Wisconsin">Wisconsin

• 1. James R. Doolittle
• 3. Charles Durkee

House of Representatives

[List of [United States Representatives from Alabama|Alabama]]

• . James A. Stallworth, until January 21, 1861
• . James L. Pugh, until January 21, 1861
• . David Clopton, until January 21, 1861
• . Sydenham Moore, until January 21, 1861
• . George S. Houston, until January 21, 1861
• . Williamson R. W. Cobb, until January 30, 1861
• . Jabez L. M. Curry, until January 21, 1861

  Arkansas">List of United States Representatives from Arkansas">Arkansas

• . Thomas C. Hindman
• . Albert Rust

  California">List of United States Representatives from California">California

• . John C. Burch
• . Charles L. Scott

  Connecticut">List of United States Representatives from Connecticut">Connecticut

• . Dwight Loomis
• . John Woodruff
• . Alfred A. Burnham
• . Orris S. Ferry

  Delaware">List of United States Representatives from Delaware">Delaware

• . William G. Whiteley

  Florida">List of United States Representatives from Florida">Florida

• . George S. Hawkins, until January 21, 1861

  Georgia">List of United States Representatives from Georgia">Georgia

• . Peter E. Love, until January 23, 1861
• . Martin J. Crawford, until January 23, 1861
• . Thomas Hardeman, Jr., until January 23, 1861
• . Lucius J. Gartrell, until January 23, 1861
• . John W. H. Underwood, until January 23, 1861
• . James Jackson, until January 23, 1861
• . Joshua Hill, until January 23, 1861
• . John J. Jones, until January 23, 1861

  Illinois">List of United States Representatives from Illinois">Illinois

• . Elihu B. Washburne
• . John F. Farnsworth
• . Owen Lovejoy
• . William Kellogg
• . Isaac N. Morris
• . John A. McClernand, from November 8, 1859
• . James C. Robinson
• . Philip B. Fouke
• . John A. Logan

  Indiana">List of United States Representatives from Indiana">Indiana

• . William E. Niblack
• . William H. English
• . William McKee Dunn
• . William S. Holman
• . David Kilgore
• . Albert G. Porter
• . John G. Davis
• . James Wilson
• . Schuyler Colfax
• . Charles Case
• . John U. Pettit

  Iowa">List of United States Representatives from Iowa">Iowa

• . Samuel Curtis
• . William Vandever

  Kansas">List of United States Representatives from Kansas">Kansas

• . Martin F. Conway, from January 29, 1861

  Kentucky">List of United States Representatives from Kentucky">Kentucky

• . Henry C. Burnett
• . Samuel O. Peyton
• . Francis Bristow
• . William C. Anderson
• . John Y. Brown, from December 3, 1860
• . Green Adams
• . Robert Mallory
• . William E. Simms
• . Laban T. Moore
• . John W. Stevenson

  Louisiana">List of United States Representatives from Louisiana">Louisiana

• . John E. Bouligny
• . Miles Taylor, until February 5, 1861
• . Thomas G. Davidson
• . John M. Landrum

  Maine">List of United States Representatives from Maine">Maine

• . Daniel E. Somes
• . John J. Perry
• . Ezra B. French
• . Freeman H. Morse
• . Israel Washburn, Jr., until January 1, 1861
• * Stephen Coburn, from January 2, 1861
• . Stephen C. Foster

  Maryland">List of United States Representatives from Maryland">Maryland

• . James A. Stewart
• . Edwin H. Webster
• . J. Morrison Harris
• . Henry Winter Davis
• . Jacob M. Kunkel
• . George W. Hughes

  Massachusetts">List of United States Representatives from Massachusetts">Massachusetts

• . Thomas D. Eliot
• . James Buffington
• . Charles F. Adams, Sr.
• . Alexander H. Rice
• . Anson Burlingame
• . John B. Alley
• . Daniel W. Gooch
• . Charles R. Train
• . Eli Thayer
• . Charles Delano
• . Henry L. Dawes

  Michigan">List of United States Representatives from Michigan">Michigan

• . George B. Cooper, until May 15, 1860
• * William A. Howard, from May 15, 1860
• . Henry Waldron
• . Francis W. Kellogg
• . Dewitt C. Leach

  Minnesota">List of United States Representatives from Minnesota">Minnesota

• . Cyrus Aldrich
• . William Windom

  Mississippi">List of United States Representatives from Mississippi">Mississippi

• . Lucius Q. C. Lamar, until December ????, 1860
• . Reuben Davis, until January 12, 1861
• . William Barksdale, until January 12, 1861
• . Otho R. Singleton, until January 12, 1861
• . John J. McRae, until January 12, 1861

  Missouri">List of United States Representatives from Missouri">Missouri

• . John R. Barret, until June 8, 1860
• * Francis P. Blair, Jr., June 8, 1860 – June 25, 1860
• * John R. Barret, from December 3, 1860
• . Thomas L. Anderson
• . John B. Clark
• . James Craig
• . Samuel H. Woodson
• . John S. Phelps
• . John W. Noell

  New Hampshire">List of United States Representatives from New Hampshire">New Hampshire

• . Gilman Marston
• . Mason Tappan
• . Thomas M. Edwards

  New Jersey">List of United States Representatives from New Jersey">New Jersey

• . John T. Nixon
• . John L. N. Stratton
• . Garnett Adrain
• . Jetur R. Riggs
• . William Pennington

  New York">List of United States Representatives from New York">New York

• . Luther C. Carter
• . James Humphrey
• . Daniel Sickles
• . Thomas J. Barr
• . William B. Maclay
• . John Cochrane
• . George Briggs
• . Horace F. Clark
• . John B. Haskin
• . Charles Van Wyck
• . William S. Kenyon
• . Charles L. Beale
• . Abram B. Olin
• . John H. Reynolds
• . James B. McKean
• . George W. Palmer
• . Francis E. Spinner
• . Clark B. Cochrane
• . James H. Graham
• . Roscoe Conkling
• . R. Holland Duell
• . M. Lindley Lee
• . Charles B. Hoard
• . Charles B. Sedgwick
• . Martin Butterfield
• . Emory B. Pottle
• . Alfred Wells
• . William Irvine
• . Alfred Ely
• . Augustus Frank
• . Silas M. Burroughs, until June 3, 1860
• * Edwin R. Reynolds, from December 5, 1860
• . Elbridge G. Spaulding
• . Reuben Fenton

  North Carolina">List of United States Representatives from North Carolina">North Carolina

• . William N. H. Smith
• . Thomas Ruffin
• . Warren Winslow
• . Lawrence O'Bryan Branch
• . John Gilmer
• . James Leach
• . F. Burton Craige
• . Zebulon Vance

  Ohio">List of United States Representatives from Ohio">Ohio

• . George H. Pendleton
• . John A. Gurley
• . Clement Vallandigham
• . William Allen
• . James Ashley
• . William Howard
• . Thomas Corwin
• . Benjamin Stanton
• . John Carey
• . Carey A. Trimble
• . Charles D. Martin
• . Samuel S. Cox
• . John Sherman
• . Cyrus Spink, until May 31, 1859
• * Harrison G. O. Blake, from October 11, 1859
• . William Helmick
• . Cydnor B. Tompkins
• . Thomas C. Theaker
• . Sidney Edgerton
• . Edward Wade
• . John Hutchins
• . John Bingham

  Oregon">List of United States Representatives from Oregon">Oregon

• . Lansing Stout

  Pennsylvania">List of United States Representatives from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania

• . Thomas B. Florence
• . Edward Joy Morris
• . John P. Verree
• . William Millward
• . John Wood
• . John Hickman
• . Henry C. Longnecker
• . John Schwartz, until June 20, 1860
• * Jacob K. McKenty, from December 3, 1860
• . Thaddeus Stevens
• . John W. Killinger
• . James H. Campbell
• . George W. Scranton
• . William H. Dimmick
• . Galusha A. Grow
• . James T. Hale
• . Benjamin F. Junkin
• . Edward McPherson
• . Samuel S. Blair
• . John Covode
• . William Montgomery
• . James K. Moorhead
• . Robert McKnight
• . William Stewart
• . Chapin Hall
• . Elijah Babbitt

  Rhode Island">List of United States Representatives from Rhode Island">Rhode Island

• . Christopher Robinson
• . William D. Brayton

  South Carolina">List of United States Representatives from South Carolina">South Carolina

• . John McQueen, until December 21, 1860
• . William P. Miles, until December 21, 1860
• . Laurence M. Keitt, until December 1860
• . Milledge L. Bonham, until December 21, 1860
• . John D. Ashmore, until December 21, 1860
• . William W. Boyce, until December 21, 1860

  Tennessee">List of United States Representatives from Tennessee">Tennessee

• . Thomas A. R. Nelson
• . Horace Maynard
• . Reese B. Brabson
• . William B. Stokes
• . Robert H. Hatton
• . James H. Thomas
• . John V. Wright
• . James M. Quarles
• . Emerson Etheridge
• . William T. Avery

  Texas">List of United States Representatives from Texas">Texas

• . John H. Reagan
• . Andrew J. Hamilton

  Vermont">List of United States Representatives from Vermont">Vermont

• . Eliakim P. Walton
• . Justin S. Morrill
• . Homer E. Royce

  Virginia">List of United States Representatives from Virginia">Virginia

• . Muscoe R. H. Garnett
• . John S. Millson
• . Daniel C. De Jarnette
• . William Goode, until July 3, 1859
• * Roger A. Pryor, from December 7, 1859
• . Thomas S. Bocock
• . Shelton Leake
• . William Smith
• . Alexander Boteler
• . John T. Harris
• . Sherrard Clemens
• . Albert G. Jenkins
• . Henry A. Edmundson
• . Elbert S. Martin

  Wisconsin">List of United States Representatives from Wisconsin">Wisconsin

• . John F. Potter
• . Cadwallader C. Washburn
• . Charles H. Larrabee

  Non-voting members

• . Marcus J. Parrott, until January 29, 1861
• . Experience Estabrook, until May 18, 1860
• *Samuel G. Daily, from May 18, 1860
• . Miguel A. Otero
• . William H. Hooper
• . Isaac Stevens

Changes in membership

Senate

• Replacements: 4
• * Democrats : no net change
• * Republicans : no net change
• Deaths: 1
• Resignations: 1
• Interim appointments: 1
• Withdrawals: 13
• Total seats with changes: 16

  House of Representatives

• Replacements: 7
• * Democrats : no net change
• * Republicans : 1 seat net loss
• * Anti-Lecompton Democrats : 1 seat net gain
• Deaths: 4
• Resignations: 3
• Contested election: 1
• Withdrawals: 28
• Total seats with changes: 41

  Committees

Senate

• Alter and Improve Senate Chamber
• Amendments to the Constitution
• Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate
• Banks of the District of Columbia
• Circulation of Bank Notes in the District of Columbia
• Claims
• Commerce
• Comptroller William Medill
• Distributing Public Revenue Among the States
• District of Columbia
• Duties of Imports
• Finance
• Foreign Relations
• French Spoilations
• Harpers Ferry Invasion
• Indian Affairs
• Judiciary
• Memorial of Houmas Lands Settlers
• Military Affairs
• Naval Affairs
• Ordnance and War Ships
• Pacific Railroad
• Patents and the Patent Office
• Pensions
• Post Office and Post Roads
• Printing
• Public Printing Investigation
• Private Land Claims
• Public Lands
• Retrenchment
• Revolutionary Claims
• Tariff Regulation
• Territories
• Thirteen on the Disturbed Condition of the Country
• Whole

  House of Representatives

• Accounts
• Agriculture
• Claims
• Commerce
• District of Columbia
• Elections
• Engraving
• Expenditures in the Interior Department
• Expenditures in the Navy Department
• Expenditures in the Post Office Department
• Expenditures in the State Department
• Expenditures in the Treasury Department
• Expenditures in the War Department
• Expenditures on Public Buildings
• Foreign Affairs
• Indian Affairs
• Invalid Pensions
• Judiciary
• Manufactures
• Mileage
• Military Affairs
• Militia
• Naval Affairs
• Patents
• Post Office and Post Roads
• Private Land Claims
• Public Buildings and Grounds
• Public Expenditures
• Public Lands
• Revisal and Unfinished Business
• Revolutionary Claims
• Revolutionary Pensions
• Roads and Canals
• Rules
• Standards of Official Conduct
• Territories
• Ways and Means
• Whole

  Joint committees

• Enrolled Bills
• The Library
• Printing
• Making Arrangements for Inaugurating Washington's Statue

  Caucuses

• Democratic
• Democratic

  Employees

Legislative branch agency">List of federal agencies in the United States#Legislative branch">Legislative branch agency directors

• Architect of the Capitol: Thomas U. Walter
• Librarian of Congress: John Silva Meehan

  Senate

• Chaplain: Stephen P. Hill, until December 15, 1859
• * Phineas D. Gurley, elected December 15, 1859
• Secretary: Asbury Dickins
• Sergeant at Arms: Dunning R. McNair

  House of Representatives

• Clerk: James C. Allen, until February 3, 1860
• * John W. Forney, elected February 3, 1860
• Chaplain: None
• Doorkeeper: Robert B. Hackney, until February 6, 1860
• * George Marston, elected February 6, 1860
• Messenger: Thaddeus Morrice
• Postmaster: Josiah M. Lucas
• Reading Clerks:
• Sergeant at Arms: Adam J. Glossbrenner, until February 3, 1860
• * Henry William Hoffman, from February 3, 1860